all 18 comments

[–]aThievingStableboy[S] 15 insightful - 2 fun15 insightful - 1 fun16 insightful - 2 fun -  (8 children)

erghawefsd

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[deleted]

    [–]Newmug 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    Very interesting list! Although there are a few words where the opposite seems to be the case, eg. 'weep' from english sounds posher than 'cry' from French. And 'britches' is still commonly used around here!

    [–]wrongthink 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

    In Slavic speaking countries French is also held up as the "high society" language relative to the dumb boorish common tongue. The Polish born writer Joseph Conrad grew up learning French and failed at his attempts of becoming a high society French poet. He got more traction writing in English and his career exploded from there. By the end of his life (which coincided with the rise of independent Poland in the 1920's) he was ashamed that he was almost incapable of speaking Polish anymore.

    Sorta related the writer of the Witcher series is Polish and his story had some spread and appeal in slavic countries but explosion of interest didn't start happening until it was translated into English.

    [–]aThievingStableboy[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    asdfae

    [–]wrongthink 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    It might be connected to Peter the Great of Russia but I'm not exactly sure. It could potentially go further back than him.

    [–]rman 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    This is all fun stuff - I’m no expert but I think it’s a harmless factoid even if it turned out to be false — nice post!

    [–]rman 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

    And the etymology of the word etymology is Greek ;)

    Tbh there are some really fascinating etymology stories out there - it’s one of my favorite words I’ve learned to use in search: “etymology of [insert word here]” can be a fun rabbit hole

    [–]aThievingStableboy[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    adfesfe

    [–]rman 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Totally, for the summer I gave my kids what has become known as “Daddy’s summer school”: They get free reign to every day choose any object in their life to learn about and and give me a report every day, presenting me with the history, function and any bonus questions I can think of once they’ve chosen a topic and they’ve been loving it. Here’s why it’s related lol: Yesterday my kid did a report on the toilet, and not only learned about the myth of Thomas Crapper inventing the toilet not being true (He only made it a common household appliance) but truly loved how she learned about the fact the Crapper name was on the toilet which led to the phrase “going to use the Crapper” which ultimately led to the use of the Crapper name as a verb and subsequent “profanity” ... she made me laugh so hard when as part of the report (they’ve been reading as if they’re presenting) she says, “Thomas Crapper’s last thoughts must have been funny having been so successful: ‘Look at what I’ve done in my life: my name is poop’”

    [–]philosopher 2 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

    That's cause things said in Latin sound classier.

    [–]aThievingStableboy[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    tsetase

    [–]Newmug 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

    Gaelic seems to have added words of positivity! eg Smashing comes from "Is maith é sin', which means 'thats good'. Galore comes from 'Go leor', which means 'altogether'. 'Craic' means fun / excitement. Smithereens is a direct loan word which means exactly the same thing in both languages. And best of all - Whiskey, 'Uisce beatha', literally translates as 'the water of life'

    [–]aThievingStableboy[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

    asdfasd

    [–]Newmug 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Another one is 'Gorgeous' - from the Gaelic word 'gairdeas', which means someone bright, vibrant, funny.

    [–]Newmug 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Thought of another one - Quid. There is no literal translation, the nearest would be 'unit'. Do chuid eadaí means 'your (units of) clothes, do chuid gruaig is 'your (units of) hair', do chuid airgead is 'your (units of) money'.

    Airgead for money is an interesting one. It really means silver, not money. The chemical symbol for silver is Ag, the Latin word is Argentum. I wonder which came first?

    [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

    Why is english so mixed with other languages

    [–]aThievingStableboy[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    testase

    [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Heh, I guess that is why english is being pushed as a global language